I bounced on the lizard-man's scaled back, desperately gripping his head ridges as a ripping agony tore through my body.
A bloodcurdling scream ripped from my throat. It felt like my skin was splitting open. My vision whited out. The world spun.
The bouncing stopped. I collapsed.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
[Defense Transformation Complete. Lynx Mode Activated.]
Lynx? I thought frantically. But I wasn't in control anymore. It felt like I was locked in a tiny room inside my own skull, watching through someone else's eyes.
My senses exploded. The swamp stench became unbearable. Every frog croak sounded like thunder. Itchy fur prickled all over my body. Great. I get to be a lynx and I'm still disgusting.
The lizard-man stared at me, amber eyes wide with shock. I didn't have time to process it — the snail creature was barreling toward us, tentacles flailing.
Rage and disgust took over. I charged.
My new lynx body was fast. I slammed into the snail-man, jaws snapping. The metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth as I tore through slick tentacles. He thrashed wildly beneath me, but I didn't stop — ripping, shredding, driven by pure survival instinct.
A series of sharp pricks hit my side.
Gunshots? Tranquilizers?
My limbs grew heavy. The world tilted. A warm, treacherous sleep pulled me under.
Hello, Ravine.
A soft feminine voice echoed in the darkness.
[I can see you're asleep. You can't stay under much longer or the energy backlash will make you explode.]
What the fuck!
I jolted awake with a blinding headache. My hands were bound with thick, leafy vines. Metal bars surrounded me — a cage. Blazing sunlight beat down, turning the ground into a dusty clearing ringed by dense trees.
[Ravine, I'm Zoey, your system manager. Your next mission is to kill the village chief — but only after you complete the mating requirement. This is the perfect opportunity. Good luck!]
I blinked hard, trying to focus. Kill the village chief? This system was insane.
Weird chittering and whooping filled the air. I looked up.
Baboons. Dozens of them. They swung through the trees, red asses on full display, long muscular arms reaching toward the cage. One particularly bold male pressed his face between the bars, grinning with a misaligned jaw.
A female reached in and gently patted my head. I flinched so hard I slammed into the opposite side of the cage.
This cannot be my life.
Heavy footsteps approached. The baboons parted respectfully as four men emerged.
The first was Aquasteine — the blue-haired bastard who'd pinned me to the bed that morning. His pale eyes were unreadable. Beside him stood the fish-man from the swamp, looking concerned. The lizard-man loomed behind them, still breathing hard from the chase. The fourth was new — sleek and powerful, with yellow-brown streaked hair and a sharp, predatory gaze. He moved like a leopard.
"Why did you eat the king's son's legs?" the leopard-man growled, voice cold. "You absolute freak."
My stomach dropped. I did what now?
"You know she's always been wild," the fish-man muttered, almost affectionately.
The lizard-man crossed his massive arms. "We can't keep covering for you, Ravine. Even though you're our mate… enough is enough."
I stared at all four of them, heart pounding.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" I yelled, yanking uselessly at the vines around my wrists. My legs trembled when I tried to stand. "Who the hell is Ravine? I'm not her! And I sure as shit didn't eat anyone's legs!"
The four men exchanged glances — a mix of confusion, frustration, and something dangerously close to hunger.
Aquasteine stepped closer to the bars, that infuriating smirk returning. "You really don't remember? Interesting…"